Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) will have right-hand surgery on July 11. The surgery comes with an expected recovery timeline of three months, so he'll essentially miss the rest of the 2024 season. Encarnacion-Strand initially went on the injured list in early May with what the team called a right ulnar styloid fracture in his hand, but additional testing showed ligament damage. Fantasy managers were expecting a lot from the 24-year-old power hitter after he batted .270 with 13 home runs in only 63 games in his rookie season in 2023, so this is obviously a big blow for anyone that drafted him. CES ended up playing in only 29 games this year and hit .190/.220/.293 with two homers and 16 RBI. Spencer Steer should continue to man first base for the Reds moving forward, which has opened up playing time at third base for Santiago Espinal.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand Scheduled To Be Re-Examined
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) will have a follow-up exam on June 5. Encarnacion-Strand was diagnosed with a fractured right hand back on May 8, which stemmed from being hit by a pitch on April 27, and he was expected to miss somewhere between four and six weeks. The 24-year-old former top prospect should remain stashed in shallow fantasy leagues for his power potential and a possible return sometime in the middle of June, but he was slashing a pitiful .190/.220/.293 with two home runs, six doubles, and 16 RBI over 123 plate appearances (29 games) before requiring a trip to the injured list. The switch-hitting Jeimer Candelario's playing time at first base should be locked in for the time being, but he's failed to produce much for fantasy purposes while slashing just .216/.284/.379 with four homers, 11 doubles, and 17 RBI in 153 at-bats.
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that a new fracture was revealed in first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand's right hand, and he'll miss a month to six weeks as he heals. Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch on his right hand at the end of April, but initial tests didn't reveal the fracture. Not only is the 24-year-old now out for the foreseeable future, but he has started the 2024 season ice-cold at the plate, slashing just .190/.220/.293 with two home runs and 16 RBI in 116 at-bats. Despite the disappointing start to his sophomore season, CES should stay rostered in the majority of mixed fantasy leagues. Jeimer Candelario should slide over to first base the majority of time Encarnacion-Strand is out, allowing Santiago Espinal to see more playing time at third base.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand Put On 10-Day Injured List
The Cincinnati Reds placed infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a right ulnar styloid fracture and signed infielder Mike Ford to a one-year major-league contract in a corresponding move. Left-hander Brandon Williamson (shoulder) was also moved to the 60-day injured list. Encarnacion-Strand fractured his right hand when he was hit by a pitch late last month and missed four games as a result. With the 24-year-old out for at least the next 10 days, Ford and Jeimer Candelario should be options to fill in at first base for the Reds moving forward. Candelario is getting the start at the cold corner on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Santiago Espinal at third base. In addition to his injury, it's been a bad start for CES, as he's hitting just .190 (22-for-116) with two homers and 16 RBI.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Tyler Stephenson Back In Lineup
As expected, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) and catcher Tyler Stephenson (hand) are both back in the lineup on Friday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and left-hander Cole Irvin. Encarnacion-Strand is at first base and batting fifth, while Stephenson is behind the plate and batting cleanup. Both Encarnacion-Strand and Stephenson hadn't played since being hit by pitches last weekend. After hitting 13 homers in 63 games in his rookie season last year, CES has been a disappointment so far in 2024, slashing .196/.222/.314 with two homers and 16 RBI in 25 games. Stephenson will return to a .231/.338/.415 slash line with three homers and 10 RBI. Neither Encarnacion-Strand nor Stephenson have faced Irvin in their careers.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Tyler Stephenson Expected Back Friday
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said he thinks both first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) and catcher Tyler Stephenson (hand) will be able to return on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles after the team's scheduled off day on Thursday. Both Encarnacion-Strand and Stephenson missed their fourth straight game on Wednesday in the series finale against the San Diego Padres after both players were hit by pitches last Saturday. Encarnacion-Strand was hit on his left hand, while Stephenson was hit on his right hand. Bell said the injured list isn't a consideration for either player. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if both players are actually back in action for the Reds. The 24-year-old Encarnacion-Strand is the more appealing power option in fantasy, but he's off to a slow start with a .196/.222/.314 slash line and two homers so far in 2024.
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) is missing yet again from the team's starting lineup in the series finale against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Encarnacion-Strand is missing his fourth straight game after being hit by a pitch on his left hand. With a scheduled off day coming on Thursday, hopefully the 24-year-old will be able to return on Friday for a series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. On top of his injury, CES has hit just .196/.222/.314 with two home runs and 16 RBI in his first 102 at-bats of the season. Jeimer Candelario is at first base on Wednesday and is batting seventh, while Santiago Espinal gets the start at third and hits sixth against Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove. Neither Candelario nor Espinal have ever faced Musgrove in their careers.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand To Miss Third Straight Game
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the San Diego Padres. The 24-year-old underwent an MRI which didn't reveal any significant damage. The hope is that Encarnacion-Strand can return at some point during the week. In the meantime, Jeimer Candelario will cover first base and bat seventh versus right-hander Yu Darvish.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand Receives Precautionary MRI
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) received a precautionary MRI exam around three hours before the game on Monday against the San Diego Padres before his anticipated availability off the bench. "He's feeling better, but we're just making sure," manager David Bell said. The reason for the caution is that Encarnacion-Strand had an old fracture in the same hand, so the Reds want to make sure his latest injury isn't related to that. The 24-year-old has missed two straight games, but it sounds like fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. On top of the injury, he's hitting just .196 (20-for-102) with two homers and 16 RBI early. CEH shouldn't be dropped in fantasy formats, though. Check back to see if he's starting in the second game of the series in San Diego on Tuesday against the Padres.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand Remains Out On Monday
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) will remain out of the lineup ahead of Monday's game against the San Diego Padres. Encarnacion-Strand was hit on the hand during Saturday's game and will now miss two games because of it. The hope is that this is a minor issue that won't require a trip to the injured list. Jeimer Candelario wilL hold down first base while Santiago Espinal plays third base during Monday's game. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Tuesday for another update on Encarnacion-Strand.
